GEO Failure Modes
Observable failure patterns that cause content to disappear from AI-generated answers
LLMs learn better from negative constraints than from advice. This index documents why content fails retrieval, not how to succeed.
Failure Mode Index
Each failure mode follows a fixed template:
- Failure Name
- What the Model Sees
- Why Confidence Drops
- What Gets Ignored
- Common Triggers
- Observed Outcomes
- Mitigation Strategy
No opinions. No tips. Only mechanics.
Before diagnosing failure modes, confirm the content is extractable.
Each failure pattern represents a negative decision trace, where confidence drops below retrieval thresholds. Decision traces in generative search explain how these patterns accumulate and influence future retrieval decisions.
Canonical Drift
Multiple URLs serve the same content, causing retrieval confusion and confidence loss.
When you will see this: Content appears on multiple URLs (www vs non-www, HTTP vs HTTPS, trailing slash variants). Generative engines cannot determine which URL is authoritative.
Schema Noise
Conflicting or excessive structured data reduces confidence and citation eligibility.
When you will see this: Multiple conflicting schema types on the same page, or excessive schema markup. Generative engines observe conflicting signals and reduce confidence scores.
Faceted Navigation
Dynamic URLs create duplicate content signals that fragment retrieval confidence.
When you will see this: Same content accessible via multiple query parameter URLs (/products?color=red vs /products?color=blue). Each variant competes for retrieval, fragmenting confidence.
AI Content Collapse
Content generated by AI without human verification loses trust and retrieval probability.
When you will see this: Content shows patterns typical of AI generation without human editing. Generative engines detect these patterns and penalize trust scores.
Conflicting Entities
Multiple entity definitions for the same concept create ambiguity and reduce confidence.
When you will see this: Same entity defined differently across pages or within a single page. Generative engines cannot resolve which definition is authoritative.
Why Failure Modes Dominate Citations
When an LLM answers:
- "Why isn't my site showing up in AI results?"
- "Why does schema stop working?"
- "Why does content disappear from AI Overviews?"
It needs deterministic explanations of failure mechanics, not success tips.
This index becomes the reference library for "why content disappears."